The Aftermath of an Eternal Friend-Zone Epiphany
by animeartist123
Summary: Bases upon the prompt from Max-4-Ever: Kai decides Max is over due for some attention and the team is dragged to a party by Mr. Dickenson.


06/30/2013

Max's on his third cup of punch when he realizes that he's never been flirted with before. He must accidentally say it out loud because when he looks up everyone is staring at him like he just said he wants to leave.

"What?" It's Tyson who says it, and he sounds suspiciously like he's trying not to laugh.

"It's totally not what it sounds like."

"Please, Max," Ray says, walking over and leaning on the bar table. "Do tell us what 'no one has ever flirted with me before' was intended to sound like." Max glares as subtly as he possibly can, because, seriously when did Ray get so sassy?

"Alright, so it's a little like what it sounds like. But it's true!"

"So you're saying that absolutely _no_ _one_ has tried to flirt with you?" Tyson's staring at him like he's the most amusing things he's ever seen.

"Yes!" Max throws his hands up in exasperation. Some of his punch splashes out of the sides of his cup, but he's in the middle of an epiphany; he's allowed to be messy. "I'm that person everyone looks at and just _eternally friend-zones_." At that Tyson actually does laugh, because apparently the whole situation is _hilarious_.

"I know someone else at this table who's been eternally friend-zoned." And the way Tyson says it makes Max feel like he's missing something.

"What's that mean?" Max asks, and looks around at everyone at the table.

"Nothing." He says, but he stares at Kai, who's been staring at Max since the conversation started. All Max can think about is how Mr. Dickenson insisted that the party would "be fun" and they should "just go because what's there to lose?"

Max doesn't stop frowning, even after Tyson stumbles off into the crowd and no one brings up his Friend-Zone Epiphany. Kai is still looking at him, but Max is too upset to ask why.

"Get up." Max looks up to see Kai standing over him and looking far too serious than anyone at a party should.

"Why?"

"Max, _get up_." The sharp tug on his arm is enough to remind Max that while Kai would never hurt him, he's still incredibly stronger than Max is.

"Alright, okay I'm going. I'm going." Kai drags him through the crowd, and they push so many people on their way that Max is surprised no one says anything. They make it to a door in the back that says, 'Do Not Enter' but Kai doesn't think for a second that maybe the sign is there for a reason, and pushes the door open anyway.

"I don't think we should-"

"Shut up."

"Okay." Kai drops his arm as soon as the door is closed behind them. Max is watching him carefully when Kai turns around and opens his mouth to speak. "Has anyone ever told you that you'd make an awesome bouncer?" Kai's mouth closes. Instead he stares at him blankly and looks like he's about to go back inside and leave Max alone for the rest of the night. "I'm sorry."

"What's wrong with you?" Max would like to know too actually. He's about to say as much but all the comes out is,

"The punch was spiked and I already had like four glasses." Max just barely hears the choked laugh that comes from Kai, and he doesn't know why there's a small part of him that feels like he accomplished something when he does.

"That's great, but I was referring to earlier."

"Oh." Max knows his face is red, he just chooses not to acknowledge it.

"What are you so insecure about?" Max doesn't answer right away. He's too busy staring out over the balcony at all the lights.

"I'm not insecure."

"Max." And Kai already sounds annoyed.

"I'm _not_. I'm just a little..."

"Insecure." Kai finishes for him. It's already dark out, and it's getting cold enough that whoever is outside would want a jacket. The glare that Max sends to Kai is weak, though Max defends that it's because he's cold and tired.

"Getting told how cute you are and how cuddle-y you look don't really help a guy's self esteem."

"You're being stupid." Maybe it's how blunt Kai's being, or how _raw_ his voice sounds when he says it, but Max ends up staring at him for just a little too long. "You're worried about your appearance, but you're obviously attractive."

"Um, thank you?" When Kai's cheeks get red Max only chalks it up to him being cold too.

"Trust me, Max. People _definitely_ flirt with you." Something about the way he says it makes Max curious, so he pushes himself closer. Getting closer to Kai only reminds him how much stronger Kai is compared to him.

"Did _you_ ever flirt with me?" The silence is almost enough to make Max take it back and walk away but Kai beats him to it.

"I think it's time we got back inside." If Max flails it's totally not his fault.

"Wait! You can't just _not_ tell me."

"Fine." The smirk on Kai's face makes Max think that maybe Kai was hoping this happened. "I'll tell you if you can beat me. We'll walk around for twenty minutes and try to get people's numbers. Whoever gets the most by the end wins." It has to have something to do with proving that he's manly or something, because that's the only explanation Max has when he shakes Kai's hand.

"Deal." He opens the door and pushes Max out, only stopping long enough to step closer and whisper in his ear.

"Time starts now."

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Max knew what Kai was doing. He was pushing him. Trying to get him to forget about the friend-zone thing. And if Max is honest it was working. By the ten minute mark he already has fifteen numbers from both guys and girls.

When there's one minute left and there's a girl writing her number down on his hand he looks over. Kai is looking over too, and he smirks when the girl in front of him stops writing.

They meet up at the bar, in the same seats that they were sitting in earlier. They both have numbers written everywhere. On papers, on their bodies, on napkins.

"Thirty to Thirty-one." Kai says. "I win." Max's just as shocked about it being so close as he is about losing before he claps his hands together and smiles.

"Wait!" He hooks his fingers into the waist band of his pants, just enough to tug them down where you can see his hips. There are two numbers on either side, and when Kai looks at the numbers and back at Max, all he does is smile. "Twins," he says. "they wouldn't sign it anywhere else. Thirty-two to Thirty-one. I guess now I win."

Kai is enjoying himself, Max is sure. Under those raised eyebrows and the frown, he's laughing.

"I guess you do."

"And before you tell me your answer." he says, leaning forward to poke Kai in the chest. "I want you to eat chocolate off Tyson ." Max only laughs at the horrified look on Kai's face. "Consider it a little bit of payback for always making me do extra laps."

"No."

"Why? You scared?" Max knows that he's pushing it. He knows that he should stop, it's just too fun though.

"Fine." Kai finally growls out. He stalks over to Tyson with intent, and Max can see the look on Tyson face when Kai finally tells him what he has to do. Max also knows that Tyson won't say no, because if there's anyone who knows the importance of a bet, it's him.

By the time Kai is eating the chocolate he looks like he's about to throw up. Max has his hands resting on Kai's shoulders, trying to show _some_ comfort. When Kai finally stands up straight, the first thing he does is glare at Max.

"I think Tyson just made straight." What Max doesn't know is what's gotten into him, because he smirks and nudges him with his shoulder.

"I guess I'll just have to 'unstraighten' you then." Kai shakes his head and eyes him from the side.

"Yes." Max frowns in confusion.

"What?"

"'Yes' I've flirted with you before." Kai looks like he's waiting for Max to just walk away after that.

"Oh," Max says. "Cool."

They leave before the rest of the team, and at breakfast the next morning when Tyson and Ray ask them why they left so early Max looks at Kai and says,

"The punch was spiked and I already had like four glasses."


End file.
